The New Girl
by ting
Summary: Everybody has secrets, hers are just darker. Max knows that things are changing but wont accept them, can Alec convince her otherwise?
1. Default Chapter

This is set during Fuhgeddaboudit but will be mostly AU. I will be using some bits of real story throughout it though. Bits of this story is gonna sound like my other one cos I'm stuck on that one and the idea for this one came, so I'm gonna start this one up.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, it all belongs to Fox etc.  
  
..................................  
  
"Hey Mia," Alec said, walking up to the counter.  
  
"Hey Alec, it's so exciting!" she replied.  
  
"What is?" he asked, confused.  
  
"You getting back into the ring," she started.  
  
"I am?" he asked, in a daze.  
  
"Yeah, and just in time for the big elimination night tomorrow."  
  
"Are my ears deceiving me? Is the great Monty Cora riding again?!" Normal said, ecstatically.  
  
"I'm back baby!" Alec quipped.  
  
"Yes! Yes! This here is marvelous. You should watch him, the sweat flying off him like a thousand lights. You know? I had a dream about you last night."  
  
Oh god no please, Alec thought to himself. He looked over at Mia who was looking at him with an amused smile on her face.  
  
"You were this Roman Gladiator and you were slewing barbarians and Medusa- like heads, while I was your little valet. I wiped your sword clean after every battle.." Normal continued.  
  
Please god make him stop, Alec prayed, I don't think I can take anymore.  
  
"Afterwards, I would rub your tired, smooth, golden muscles.."  
  
"Hot run, Fourth and Main," Alec yelled, desperately. He turned to make his getaway and ran straight into someone, knocking them to the ground.  
  
"Oh crap, I am so sorry, I didn't even see you there, are you alright?" he asked, concerned.  
  
He heard a mumbled, "yeah," and pulled the girl up again. She straightened and moved her hair out of her face. He found himself speechless, just staring at her. She was looking at him weirdly and he realized that he should say something, "so, you sure you're ok?" he stuttered.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered.  
  
They looked at each other in silence until she turned away, looked around the place and said, "So who's the boss around here?"  
  
"I am," Normal answered.  
  
"Well, I was just wondering if you had any jobs available?" she asked, pulling her arm from Alec's grip.  
  
"Oh sorry," Alec muttered, he hadn't even realized that he was still holding her.  
  
"That's alright," she smiled.  
  
"No, sorry, we're full," Normal answered.  
  
"Ok, that's fine," she said and turned to walk away.  
  
"No, wait," Mia said.  
  
She turned back around again.  
  
"Normal, I think you should hire her?" Mia said, turning her gaze onto Normal.  
  
"Yeah, I think I will. You start tomorrow missy miss. Don't be late," he replied and walked away.  
  
The girl was staring at Mia with narrowed eyes.  
  
"Well aren't you gonna thank me?" Mia asked with a smile.  
  
"I know you," the girl answered.  
  
"Do you?" Mia asked, not really remembering the girl.  
  
"Yeah, you're from Manticore, Psy-ops. There's no way that I'd forget you."  
  
Alec wasn't really concentrating on the conversation he was too busy staring at her but started when he heard the girl say Manticore.  
  
"Well, you're gonna forget me now. Both of you," Mia said silkily, "Come back tomorrow morning ok?"  
  
"Yeah, Ok. Tomorrow," the girl said and walked away.  
  
"Come on Alec, you were on a run," Mia reminded him.  
  
"Yeah.. That's right. I'm gonna go.." he faltered.  
  
"Good, so I'll seeya later!"  
  
"Yeah, later," he replied and left.  
  
....................................  
  
The next day.  
  
"Geez, is missy miss late again?!" Normal yelled, as Max walked by.  
  
"By like 2 minutes!" Max said, outraged, "I make an effort and all I get is yelled at!"  
  
Normal looked at her then turned away, mumbling to himself. Max grinned, another victory, she thought and turned to go when Normal yelled, "Show the new girl the ropes will ya?"  
  
"What new girl?" Max asked.  
  
"That would be me."  
  
Max turned around and found the voice. The girl held out her hand, "I'm Andy."  
  
"I'm Max. Andy? Short for.."  
  
"Andrea, so, you gonna show me what I have to do?" asked.  
  
"Yeah, um.."  
  
"Boo, why don't you introduce me to your friend?" OC said, walking up to them.  
  
"Oh, Andy this is Original Cindy, Original Cindy meet Andy," Max laughed, watching Cindy eye the girl.  
  
"Pleasure to meet you," Cindy drawled, holding out her hand.  
  
"Yeah, same here," Andy replied, shaking her hand.  
  
"Oh, how are my lovely ladies this fine morning?" Alec asked.  
  
"Fine," Max and Cindy said, rolling their eyes.  
  
"I'm Alec," he said, turning to Andy.  
  
"Andy," she replied, trying not to look him in the eye. Max and OC looked at her and saw that she was trying not to laugh.  
  
"What's so funny?" Max asked.  
  
"Oh, nothing," she replied, looking up at Alec then snickered. "So, what do I have to do?"  
  
"We'll go get your sector pass first and then I'll take you around with me today," Max said.  
  
"Sure," Andy replied. "Nice meeting you guys." Then turned and followed Max to the counter.  
  
"That is one fine sister," OC said to Alec.  
  
"I'll say," he replied, taking in her slender 5'7 frame, long black hair and blue-gray eyes.  
  
"You don't have a chance boo," OC grinned at him.  
  
"Why not?" Alec asked, indignantly.  
  
"Suga, the girl couldn't even look at you without laughing, I say she's batting for the all girl team."  
  
"No way," he replied.  
  
"We'll see, we'll see," she grinned at him and walked off.  
  
He watched her leave with Max and. She can't be a lesbian, she's way too hot. But all lesbians are hot, he argued with himself. Shut up, he told himself. She's not a lesbian!  
  
Please Review! 


	2. Chap 2

She kneed me?! Alec thought to himself incredulously. I cant believe the bitch just kneed me, he felt two arms wrap themselves around him, well this better be her trying to apologize, he thought to himself. He looked around expecting to find Max but all he found was Normal.  
  
"Come on rockstar, we'll getcha home," Normal said, slinging one of Alec's hands over his shoulder and steadying him with his other hand. A hand that was dangerously close to Alec's ass. Damnit, he thought to himself, I knew that Max had a thing for my ass but Normal too?!  
  
He limped out of the ring and into the change room, he sat down on the bench gently, very gently and sighed. He didn't think that he had ever been in this much pain, he looked around for his clothes and pulled on a shirt. He went to pull off his boxing shorts when he realized that Normal was still there and watching him intently. Too intently for Alec's liking.  
  
"Hey boss, some privacy here?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, yeah, sure," Normal answered and turned around.  
  
Alec put on the rest of this clothes and stood up gingerly, "Here, golden boy, lean on me," Normal said rushing over.  
  
"No, I'm fine," Alec said but to no avail. There was Normal's hand, again near his ass. He let Normal help him out and turned a corner to find Mia, Max and Logan. He vaguely heard Mia ask how he was but he was too concerned with glaring at that evil woman. The one who seemed to be smiling at him more genuinely than ever before. He felt something being pressed into his hand and looked down to see a pile of bills that Mia just gave him. He lifted them up and smelt them, anything to get rid of Normal's smell, he thought to himself.  
  
"Maybe you could have another one of those gladiator dreams that you like so much," Mia was saying. He quickly got himself back together again and looked over at Normal in fear. Normal on the other hand looked anything but fearful.  
  
"Maybe I will," he answered dreamily and pulled Alec along with him. Alec sent one last glare in Max's direction and then let himself be led off. He limped out into Normal's car and sank back into the front seat. He closed his eyes and tried to relax the rest of his body, he didn't really wanna talk to Normal right now, when he opened his eyes he found himself outside his apartment and Normal was now studying him. He jumped in surprise and asked "How do you know where I live?"  
  
"It's on your application form," Normal answered. "Here, I'll help upstairs."  
  
"No!" Alec yelped and Normal looked at him crushed. "What I mean is that I'm feeling better and you had better get back, it's late and we have work tomorrow."  
  
"No, I have work tomorrow, you stay at home and rest alright?"  
  
"Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks boss," Alec said relieved, he couldn't even imagine trying to ride a bike. He got out of the car and waved a goodbye before hobbling up the stairs and into his building. Man, why the hell do people make these corridors so long anyway? he complained to himself. He finally made it to his door and went in, lowering his battered and bruised body gently on the bed he tried to fall asleep.  
  
...........................  
  
Have to keep her safe, cant let anyone hurt her. I won't let them take another one of my family away from me. Especially not her. She turned the corner and a bright light shone in her face then she was falling into darkness and the last thing she heard was breaking glass.  
  
She woke with a shock, breathing hard she looked around her. Just a dream, she thought to herself, it was just a dream. Nothing to worry about, not anymore. But it was something to worry about, she hadn't had that dream in so long, why was it coming back now? You know why, she thought to herself, being here of all places. She buried her face in her hands, she thought that she had put everything behind her but she hadn't. Deep down inside she didn't think that she could ever forgive them for doing that to her but then another voice argued that there was no way that they could've known. She sat up and looked at the clock, great it's only 3 in the morning. Oh well, I guess I could go tonight. She got out of bed and dressed then taking one last look at the map on the table grabbed her keys and left for Terminal City.  
  
.............................  
  
She found herself outside a wired fence and jumped over it with ease. Biohazard huh? she thought to herself. This is where they probably are, hopefully they're all together and safe. She walked around looking for any sign of life but not finding any at all decided to let her guard down. Bad idea she thought when she heard a gun being cocked behind her.  
  
"What do you want?" a gruff voice asked. She turned around slowly so as to not alarm anyone and found herself facing a lizard with a cigar sticking out of the corner of his mouth.  
  
"I was just looking for my unit," she answered calmly.  
  
"You're an X?" someone else asked and she nodded but all the time keeping her eyes trained on the shot gun lizard.  
  
"X's are over on Oak Street," the lizard answered and finally lowered his gun.  
  
"What? Are there specific areas that you cant cross just because of what you are?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, there are," Mole answered.  
  
"Why?" she asked, looking him straight in the eyes.  
  
"Because, we don't belong with you and you don't belong with us."  
  
"Says who?" she argued.  
  
"Says me."  
  
"Well then why did we even leave Manticore if all we're gonna do is separate ourselves the way bthey/b separated us?" she asked defiantly.  
  
The lizard looked at her in surprise, he thought for a while but not finding an answer looked over at a pale thing with an eye patch. She followed his gaze and waited for this person to answer her.  
  
Pale guy just looked down and finally said, "I don't know."  
  
"So how bout we all try and get along huh?" she asked.  
  
"Why?" the lizard asked, "Why do you wanna know us? I mean we're the ones that the ordinaries wanna kill. You can just blend in, we cant."  
  
"Do you think that it really matters?" she asked. "I mean, come on. Once the people find out about Manticore it wont matter what we look like on the outside, all they're gonna see is a threat. A threat that they have to get rid of, now don't you think that it would be better if we stuck together, this way if they wanna fight, they fight all of us."  
  
The lizard considered her statement and looked around at the others with him, they all seemed to agree so he nodded as well. She smiled at him and then stuck out her hand, "So why don't you introduce yourself?"  
  
"Mole," he answered as he shook her hand.  
  
She smiled and returned the handshake, "I'm Andy."  
  
...........................  
  
Please review. Constructive criticism would be helpful. 


	3. Chap 3

"Well I wasn't expecting you to be back at work so soon," OC drawled when she saw Alec walking into Jam Pony.  
  
"I heal fast," Alec said, glaring at her. OC just looked at him with a grin.  
  
"Well, lookie who we have here," Max said, appearing on the other side of him.  
  
He didn't even bother saying anything to her, he was still mad at her. I can't believe she kicked me in the balls and it wasn't even a gentle kick either. He glared at her too and then walked to his locker. He heard a snicker behind him and turned around to face Andy. "God, do all the females in this place have a problem?" he asked annoyed. Andy had been laughing at him since she met him, now she was just gonna laugh even harder. This was something that he didn't want to happen, she was hot, and he wanted to impress her not to make a laughing stock out of himself in front of her. She just smirked and opened her own locker.  
  
"Well aren't you gonna say anything? Make fun of me you know? Like they are?" he pointed to Max and OC who were still laughing at him. She just smiled at him, took a deep breath and..He waited for it, the laughter, the abuse but stood there in shock when all he got was, "Are you feeling OK?"  
  
He opened his mouth but no sound came out, he tried again, same result. He saw the grin appear on her face at his speechlessness, "Well, this wasn't what I was expecting from Casanova," she said and walked off to Max and OC.  
  
He watched them talk for a while and when Andy walked off to deliver a package he followed.  
  
"Hey, care if I tag along?" he asked, wheeling his bike along beside her.  
  
"Sure, are you sure you can ride a bike though?" she asked looking down at his crotch and smirking.  
  
He got on the bike to prove his point. "Well, if you say so," she said as she got onto her own bike.  
  
"So, Andy. Where'd you move here from?" he asked.  
  
"California," she answered.  
  
"Serious? So why'd you move?"  
  
"You ever get the feeling like where you just have to leave, things just don't seem to have the appeal that they used to, you know?" she looked over at him.  
  
"Not really, but I can see what you mean. So how long were you in California for?"  
  
"Just a coupla months."  
  
"Oh, so where'd you live before that?"  
  
"What is this twenty questions?" she asked looking over at him.  
  
"Hey, just making conversation," he said defensively. She just smiled and continued riding.  
  
They finished making their delivery and were heading back to Jam Pony when Alec said, "I'll wait for you out here while you get the next package ok?"  
  
She looked over at him confused, "Why don't you wanna go in?"  
  
He looked down embarrassed hoping that he wouldn't have to answer but she just raised her eyebrow and settled back more comfortably on her bike. He sighed and she grinned. "I just.well..Normal kinda doesn't know that I'm back. I sorta snuck in when he wasn't there."  
  
He looked around at everything except her but he still saw the smirk that came across her face. "What? Scared?" she laughed.  
  
He glared at her as she went in to get a package. Max came out and grinned when she saw him there, "Wow Alec, didn't think that you'd be riding a bike for a while," she said innocently.  
  
"Well, I'm fine, thanks for asking. No thanks to you," he pouted.  
  
"Hey, if you had just thrown the fight like I had told you then I wouldn't have had to do anything, so this is all your fault. If you wanna blame someone just blame your own selfish self."  
  
He opened his mouth to defend himself when he heard a laugh behind him, he turned to see Andy walking out, laughing with OC. "What's so funny?" he asked grinning, she had a really great smile.  
  
She just looked at him and laughed even harder. He gazed at OC confused but the pretty African-American girl just laughed with Andy. "Hey, Alec guess what?" Andy wheezed out between her giggles.  
  
"What?" he asked, totally confused.  
  
"C'mon Boo," OC said as she took Max and they both walked off, Max soon laughing at whatever it was that OC had just told her.  
  
He turned narrowed eyes onto Andy but she didn't notice she was too busy trying to wipe the tears of laughter from her eyes. "Guess who I just talked to?" she smiled.  
  
"Who?" Alec said through gritted teeth, not liking being kept in the dark.  
  
"Temper, temper," Andy grinned as she caught sight of his clenched fists. He glared at her and then visibly calmed himself. She smiled and said, "Normal."  
  
"Yeah so?" "He decided that he would tell me all about this dream that he had.." she said and stopped with a smirk as she saw him pale. "Don't worry, you were still a gladiator and he was still massaging your tired, smooth golden muscles," she burst out laughing again at the look on his face.  
  
"How did you know he had a gladiator dream about me?" Alec asked quietly, looking around to see if anybody else had heard.  
  
"I was there remember? When he first told you about it? You knocked me over trying to get rid of him?"  
  
He looked around slightly annoyed that she had known all along but then something clicked. "Is this why you couldn't look at me without laughing?" he asked.  
  
She looked over at his comment and burst out laughing again. "I'll take that as a yes," he muttered to himself.  
  
"So, you wanna go to Crash tonight?" he asked.  
  
"Busy tonight, I'll see you later," she said and with one last wave rode off in the other direction.  
  
He watched her ride off, just thinking to himself. What was it about her that made him want to be with her all the time? He shook his head to clear it and rode off to his apartment.  
  
............................  
  
That night.  
  
She crept into Terminal City again and wandered along the roads until she heard a gruff voice say, "You again?"  
  
"What can I say Mole? I missed you. Didn't you miss me?" she smiled as she turned to face the lizard. He grunted a reply and lowered his gun. "I didn't get around to doing what I wanted to do last night, I was just so caught up in the conversation that I was having with you and you know what I've decided?" she asked him. "I think..I think..Mole, I think I love you," and with that she threw her arms around his neck and pretended to cry, "Aren't you gonna tell me that you love me too?"  
  
She heard laughter behind her and let go of Mole who was trying to keep an annoyed expression on his face. "Hey Dix, how are you buddy?" Andy asked him.  
  
"I'm good, how are you?" he replied.  
  
"I'm alright, I'm gonna go see them tonight, see if we can come up with some sort of deal."  
  
"That'd be good," Dix nodded.  
  
"That's if they agree," Mole said, "and they probably wont."  
  
"Why wouldn't they? I mean you couldn't resist my charms, they should be a push over," Andy smirked at him.  
  
He glared at her but she just laughed and wandered off to Oak Street.  
  
............................  
  
Alec wandered into Crash and looked around for his friends. He spotted Sketchy and OC and sauntered on over, smiling at the lovely ladies around him.  
  
"Hey guys, how are we on this beautiful night?" he asked smiling.  
  
"Fine, fine," OC said, "Hey Alec, check out the nice sweet honey over there."  
  
"Yeah, she's hot," he replied, giving the girl his most charming smile. She practically fell off her seat.  
  
"Well there goes another proud sister, I don't know why I put up with you," she glared at Alec. He just shrugged his shoulders and with another grin wandered over to the bar for a scotch.  
  
Max watched from her seat with Logan, she saw the girl practically faint when Alec smiled at her and grinned to herself. Well I guess Manticore did have an up side, she thought to herself. She sighed and looked over to Logan who had been ignoring her for the past twenty minutes and scribbling on a little piece of paper. She cleared her throat, he didn't notice. She rolled her eyes and announced that she was gonna refill the pitcher. He looked up in surprise, said ok and went straight back to work. He fully forgot that I was even there, she thought to herself indignantly. He's just working real hard, trying to figure this out FOR YOU, her head argued with her. But he's always working she argued right back. She approached the bar and saw Asha leaving Alec looking slightly disgruntled.  
  
"So what's up with you and blondie?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing is up," he replied.  
  
"Yeah sure, you know she's a nice girl.."  
  
"Yeah and I should just be this nice charming guy and get myself a great girlfriend but unlike you I'm trying to do the right thing."  
  
"And what's that supposed to mean?" she asked pissed off.  
  
"We don't belong with them Max, we are a danger to them. When are you gonna finally realize that?!"  
  
"Me and Logan are none of your business!"  
  
"Well.."  
  
"What's up guys?" Logan asked approaching the two.  
  
"Nothing," Max lied.  
  
"Yeah, right, nothing," Alec mimicked and left. He turned around just in time to see Logan grab Max's arm and fall to the floor. He rushed over and pulled the phone out of pocket to ring 911. He felt for a pulse, there was a weak one. Soon the ambulance had arrived and had taken Logan to the hospital. He sat around wondering what to do, there was only room in the ambulance for two and OC had left with Max. He sat there thinking and when Max rang to tell him to get the hospital he left as soon as he hung up.  
  
What's wrong with me? he asked himself. I always seem to be doing whatever she tells me to do. You just want her to stop looking at you like you're dirt, a voice inside his head answered. You want her to look at you like someone she can trust and rely on, not just someone who she has to save. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair as he went up the stairs. I don't know why she just cant accept me, I've tried as hard as I can but nothing I do is ever good enough, he thought as he stepped outside and found himself face to face with what seemed to be the entire police force. He backed up only to find someone behind him as well. Shit, he thought, I'm gonna let her down again, as they led him into the police car.  
  
..........................  
  
She crept into Oak Street, her senses working on overload. It was never good to sneak up on X's but she just couldn't help herself.  
  
"BOO" she yelled to the X5 on duty. He whirled around to face her but she had blurred behind him and pulled his gun from his grasp. He looked down in horror and when he looked up again, found himself looking the barrel of his own gun.  
  
"Well aren't I even gonna get a hug?" she pouted at him.  
  
The soldier snapped to attention. "Ma'am! I didn't realize that it was you, I mean..I would never have pulled a gun on you if I knew.ma'am, they've been waiting for you for a while. They thought you were dead."  
  
"Do I look dead to you soldier?" she asked mockingly.  
  
"No ma'am," he grinned. His CO still hadn't changed.  
  
"Well then lets go greet the troops," she decided and handed the soldier back his gun. He reached for it but she pulled it out of his grasp at the last minute. "Too slow," she said, looking disappointed. She laughed at the look on his face and the wandered into the building. The noise level immediately dropped, "Well babies, I'm home!" 


	4. chap 4

"What I'm worried about is that I can't really use 'oh I was locked up in a secret government agency' as my cover story," Alec said, chewing on his nail.  
  
"Yeah, I guess you cant," Max replied from her room.  
  
"Well maybe Logan can use some of his..omigod Logan. How is he?" Alec said in shock. He had totally forgot about the other man.  
  
"He's fine. Joshua came through," Max assured him, coming out of her room.  
  
"Thank god, you know I love Logan, well not like you love him. You know what I mean." he babbled. He noticed the expression on her face and walked closer to her. "Max what is it?" he asked concerned.  
  
"I'm not gonna see him anymore," she said, not looking up at him.  
  
"Anymore this week?" Alec asked, slightly sarcastically. He just couldn't believe that Max would just ditch the guy just like that.  
  
"Ever," she whispered and turned around.  
  
He regarded her silently for a while and then plunged into a subject that he had wanted to ask her for a while but had been too afraid to. Not that he himself was scared to voice it but he was scared of what her reaction would be. He was scared that he was gonna push her further away from him than she already was, and no matter what he said or did there was no way that he could convince himself that he didn't need her. He had spent his whole life with other people like him, out here there was no one else but her, she was his life raft. The only thing that kept him from sinking and he didn't know what he'd do without her. Not that he'd ever tell her that, she'd probably just hit me, he thought bitterly to himself. He wanted her to look at him the way she looked at Logan or even Joshua. Someone that she could trust, someone that she WANTED to be around, someone that she loved.  
  
Love. That was what this all boiled down to, after Rachel he didn't think that he could ever love again but truthfully he didn't think that he could stop loving. She had opened him up to the world and there was no way that he could close it now. Manticore had tried and almost succeeded, the one thing they did wrong was pair him up with 452, the rogue, whose love for life, love for another had kept her going. He had seen the determination in her to get back to the ones that she loved and realized that he hadn't lost his ability to love, to appreciate life, he had just buried it to keep it safe. To keep it away from Manticore, he kept it deep within himself where he knew that no one could find it, where no one could take it away like they took Rachel away. Rachel had unlocked the door to his heart and Max had kicked it open.  
  
She had also shoved a wedge in there to stop it from ever closing, earlier when she had said all those things to him at the police station he had almost believed her. In fact he did believe her. She didn't really want him around, she regretted letting him loose on the world, on her world but he was tied to her world. He was tied to her. Everything he did came back to her, at the beginning he would do things that he knew she would hate just to make her mad at him because that was the only way that she would talk to him, otherwise she just ignored his existence. OC and Sketch were great friends but no matter what Max or anybody else said, they were different and he needed to be around his own kind. She was all he had and he was afraid to lose her but he had to give it a chance and hope that she might finally open up to him.  
  
"Since we're already knee deep in painful subjects tell me about him. About Ben."  
  
Max turned in shock, she didn't think that he would ever bring up his twin. She was about to yell at him when she saw the look in his eyes. He really looked sincere, he looked scared as if he was afraid of what her answer might be. The thing that got her was the wary look that was partially concealed. It was like he was thrusting himself out into the ocean just by asking her this question and it was her answer that would decide whether or not he would be able to find his way back to the shore.  
  
She thought about it for a moment and decided to tell him. She had never told anyone else what had happened between her and Ben, not even Logan. Actually especially not Logan, she could just imagine the look on his face, his horrified expression that she had killed her own sibling. No, there was no way she could ever tell Logan, but Alec was different. He wouldn't look at her like she was a monster because he was like her, they were the same. Alec could understand in a way that Logan never could and probably wouldn't want to. She had been raised and trained as a killer while Logan had gone to school with his friends. She played with M-16's while he played basketball, she had killed and he had only killed on his Nintendo. The differences were there but she had always thought that they would be able to overcome them but here was one difference that just seemed to get bigger every day.  
  
So she pretended, she pretended that she was like him, that all she had to worry about was what to wear the next day and the more she pretended the more she herself could believe it. Life with Logan was like a fantasy world, she could pretend that there was no one out there trying to kill her but life with Alec was real. Too real. Sometimes so real it was scary, he was everything that she pretended she wasn't, everything she didn't want to think she was and yet he was comfortable with who he was. It was this fact that kept her from letting him too close. She knew that once she let Alec in there was no way that she could ever let him go. The problem was he had somehow already wormed his way into her heart and she knew that if she had left him there at the police station she would've gone back for him later.  
  
She had only said those things because she didn't want to believe that he resorted back to being the soldier he had been made to be. She didn't want him to become like Ben. She had to keep him away to keep herself safe because she could see that life with Alec was something that she enjoyed and without him her life would become lifeless. No excitement, no rush, just nothing like it was before. When she had been with Logan. So she told him, everything that happened. He listened and when she finished he held her. It was something that she didn't expect him to do and she was surprised at how safe she felt with him around and started to think that maybe letting him in wasn't that bad an idea. Maybe if she kept him around more she'd feel better about the way her life was, about who she was.  
  
................................  
  
"Well half of them agreed to it. The other half are stubborn little bitches, they just wont listen!" Andy pouted.  
  
Mole let out a laugh, "I thought you said that they'd be easy to convince," he grinned at her.  
  
She poked her tongue out at him but he just laughed and continued to clean his gun. "Their CO must be one hard wacko. But that's the thing that I don't understand. Their CO isn't even there and he hadn't been seen by any of them and yet they're just gonna sit there on their asses and not do anything until he comes. So I asked them what'll happen if he doesn't and all of then just look at him like I grew an extra head and said that he would find them. He had apparently told them to lay low together and he'd get back to them. I asked them when this was and they said when Manticore burned. I mean that was like 5 months ago and they just sat there, he said he would so he will and they wouldn't say anymore. They won't do anymore until he comes either. I swear, they're driving me crazy! What are you looking at you big lizard?!" she finally shouted at Mole who was now standing in front of her, looking her up and down.  
  
"I was just trying to figure out where your extra head was and then I realized that they must of just thought you had two heads because you talk so much it was like you had two mouths," he said seriously.  
  
She glared at him and said, "Come here and say that mothball."  
  
"Oh I love you too schnookums," he laughed. She went to hit him but Dix interrupted to play peacemaker.  
  
"Well, you know I think that you would look very attractive with another head."  
  
Andy turned and looked at him in astonishment. "What the...Are you guys feeling OK? I mean I leave for a night, come back and this is what I get. I think that maybe you guys aren't that immune to toxins as we thought."  
  
Dix laughed and sat down again. "Andy don't worry about it. If they say that their CO is coming back then he will. Those guys are so used to following orders that they won't do anything else."  
  
"Then why don't they take MY orders!" she pouted.  
  
"Because you aren't their CO. so just wait till he comes back and then maybe they'll listen."  
  
"Fine," Andy glared. "I'm going home but I expect those lists done the next time I'm here."  
  
"They will be," Dix assured her and she left.  
  
"X's," Mole rasped, "I'll never understand them."  
  
"Neither will I but she's better than most," Dix said looking at him.  
  
Mole thought for a while and grunted his agreement. Mothball my ass, he thought with a grin.  
  
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Please Review! 


	5. Chap 5

A/N: I'd just like to thank all you guys for reviewing and I'm sorry I haven't continued sooner but my finals are this week. Anywayz hope you enjoy the chap!  
  
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Alec woke up the next morning with an unusual feeling. There was something warm lying on top of him. What did I do last night? he thought to himself. I don't remember picking anybody up? Then his body stiffened and his eyes snapped open, Max, he thought. He looked down at her lying on his chest, she looked so small and so lost. He thought about all the things that they had talked about last night, she had told him all about her family, Manticore, the only thing that they hadn't talked about was Logan and he didn't really want to bring the geezer up. Max seemed so sad when she talked about him and as soon as she realized that she was expressing the sorrow she closed herself up like they were all taught to. Alec hated seeing her like that, all shut away, keeping herself away from everyone. That's why he annoyed her so much, he loved the way she was so alive and if getting her mad was the only way to see her like that then he was gonna get her mad any chance he could. And he usually did. Too bad this also meant that he was gonna get hit at least five times a day. Oh well, he thought to himself, it's worth it, he grinned. Max stirred on his chest and he looked down at her, she opened her eyes sleepily and stared at him.  
  
She felt her body moving up and down and it was a really comfortable feeling. She didn't know what was causing it but she liked it. She opened her eyes and found herself staring at someone's chest, whose chest? she thought sleepily and she looked up to find a pair of hazel eyes staring into her own. Alec, she thought. She sat up on his body and stretched, he was really nice to sleep on. She looked down at him and saw that he was still staring at her, not saying anything which was really strange for Alec, so she told him so. He just smiled but continued staring at her.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked him, slightly worried.  
  
"Nothing's wrong, I was just thinking, that's all," he replied.  
  
"About what?" she asked, as she got up off him.  
  
"Us," he replied, looking down at the area she had been lying on and thinking that he now felt cold without her.  
  
She froze when she heard his answer but when she looked over at him he was staring at his chest. "What do you mean us?" she asked cautiously.  
  
"I know that I screw up a lot Max but..." he started.  
  
"Alec I know that I've said a lot of harsh things to you but I didn't really mean them. It's just that when I get angry I cant really control what's coming out of my mouth and you know," she trailed off. She didn't know what to say to him, she knew she had been unfair but the idea that she might lose him, that was too much to handle.  
  
He looked at her in shock, he never thought that he would live to see that day when Max would tell him that she was wrong. "So you're saying that I'm not a screw up?" he asked, confused. It was just such a big difference to what she usually said.  
  
"No," she corrected, "I said that SOMETIMES you are and sometimes you aren't."  
  
"Close enough," he grinned up at her. "I think I'm gonna head off, I mean I've been here for almost half a day and you haven't hit me yet, don't want my luck to run out," he said cheekily.  
  
She smiled at him as they made their way out of her building and then said, "You should probably lay low for while."  
  
"Yeah, I might head over to Joshua's for a while. Think he'll mind?"  
  
"Are you kidding? He'll love it."  
  
Alec thought for a little while and then said, "Must be hard huh? Having me around. Some guy with Ben's face?"  
  
"Yeah well, it's probably why I'm such a bitch to you," she replied slightly embarrassed.  
  
"Or maybe," he moved to put his arm around her, "it's because I'm such a pain in the ass sometimes."  
  
She smiled up at him, glad that he wasn't angry with her. "Be careful," she said.  
  
"Always," he replied, giving her his usual cocky smile. But she knew the truth now, he wasn't the person that he tried so hard to be, he was someone else. Someone that she wanted to get to know, she wanted to know the real Alec. She turned to head back into her building, not noticed the pair of ice blue eyes that had watched them intently, the entire time.  
  
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No please, not her, she thought. Take me, just don't take her! She thrashed around still stuck in her dream and finally woke up to age-old sound of breaking glass, yet again. She sat up in bed and calmed herself down. She hated that dream, it was so real. It was like it really happened and yet she knew that nothing like that could've happened. Yet sometimes she got flashes. Flashes of people that had never been in her unit, flashes of moving shadows, of laughter which was something that had never been allowed in Manticore. She had flashes of a life that she knew never would have been allowed in Manticore and yet she longed for it. Well I have it now, she thought to herself. No one is going to hurt any of my units anymore, she was going to keep them safe. But there was something missing, she didn't know what it was but it seemed that every time she talked to her soldiers, she felt like even though she was with them, she wasn't a part of them. She remembered that it had taken them so long for any of them to actually even speak to her when she was transferred to their compound. They had all avoided her like the plague and she didn't know why but she was better than they were. At hand to hand, at shooting, everything. So after a while they stopped it and started respecting her and speaking to her. She didn't know what it was that put them off her to start off with but she knew that nothing was going to get between them now. They were a part of her and she was a part of them, which was why she knew that the other soldiers wouldn't have listened to her in the first place but she had to try. She had to unite them, bring them all together or there was no chance any of them could survive. She just wished that she wasn't so lonely, she was constantly surrounded by people and yet she knew that they weren't like her. The only person that she felt comfortable around was Max and she barely even knew the girl. She didn't know why she felt safe around Max but she did. She didn't understand it, the only other people she ever felt safe around were units, but Max was never a part of her unit. Oh, she sighed to herself, you're thinking too much. She rubbed her temples to try and get rid of the headache she knew was coming. You think too much.  
  
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"Josh! Josh buddy where are ya?" Alec yelled, looking around the empty house. He walked around searching each of the empty rooms until he heard some movement out in the living room and walked in to find Joshua just standing there.  
  
"Hey roomie!" Alec said brightly.  
  
"Roomie?" Joshua asked confused. Not really understanding and kinda not wanting to understand.  
  
"yeah, I gotta lay low for a while, thought I might stay here you know?" alec said looking around. "So, where's your TV?"  
  
"TV?" Joshua said in surprise, he looked around then room and then his face brightened. "No TV, Alec can read instead," he said gently knocking a book against his buddy's head.  
  
"What do you mean you don't have a TV? I need my boob tube," Alec said, looking around hoping to find a set hiding somewhere behind the dusty curtains. He looked up at Joshua, who was looking slightly amused. "Oh, don't worry I know hwere I can get one."  
  
He walked over to the window so that he could get some reception when he noticed joshua rush over and block something from view. "What's that? Joshua no.348?" he asked, trying to peer behind the bigger guy.  
  
Joshua sighed and moved out of the way. "Annie," he whispered.  
  
Alec looked at him and then at the painting again. He could feel Joshua's pain inside him like it was his own. He opened his mouth to speak but Josh beat him to it.  
  
"She's blind Alec. She cant see. No running, no screaming," Joshua said dejectedly, his head hanging low.  
  
Alec didn't know what to do. He decided to call Max, hopefully she would know what to do. He sat down with Joshua and waited for her. He didn't know what to say to Joshua, the guy looked so down. Alec knew how he had felt but he didn't know how to say anything to help the poor guy get through it. Max arrived and she took him off to say some words to him while Alec decided to make his way down to the basement. All this talk about having a love that was unattainable just brought back memories that he didn't want to have or need to have now. He started playing and felt himself calm down, he finished the piece and just sat there staring at the keys.  
  
He found himself thinking about Max, he could just hear her murmering to Josh and he knew that if he just strained a little he would be able to hear her but he didn't want to. She's probably talking about her and Logan, he thoguth bitterly to himself. He sat there morosely, he didn't like Logan and only put up with him because he was supposed to be Max's 'not like that' boyfriend. Oh well, they're supposedly broken up now, he thought, whatever that means in Logan and Max language, he rolled his eyes.  
  
He heard her exit the house and went upstairs to see Josh. He sat down next to the big guy and patted his back, Josh looked over gratefully. Alec knew he didn't want to talk so he just sat there, assuring Josh with his presence but never letting the guy know that Alec needed his presence as well. Love, it gave all of the nothing but pain, he didn't know why anybody bothered. He didn't know why he bothered, he tried not to care about anyone when he had come out of Manticore. Going with a different girl every night helped, he made sure there was no way he could connect with anyone, well anyone but Max. He needed Max and he was starting to think that he wanted more from her than friendship. It was a bad thing to realize, he knew that Max only wanted Logan, no matter how hard she lied to him and herself but he hoped that after what happened last night, they would get closer. A lot closer.  
  
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Please Review! 


	6. Chap 6

A/N: I know that this isn't really how it happens in DA but hey. This is how it's gonna be in my story. Thanx for all the reviews guys, I know it's been a while. I had this chap written for about a week and my stupid computer wouldn't let me upload it. ( me and technology just don't go. I havent really decided whether this is gonna be M/A or A/A, so we'll just see how it goes.  
  
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The Next Day  
  
Alec was watching the music videos, his head bouncing to the beat. Joshua was behind him trying to read. Finally he sighed, "Alec, boob tube too loud."  
  
"Well, that's the only way to enjoy it," Alec said, his concentration still on the TV. "Come here and watch."  
  
Joshua rolled over to the chair Alec was perched on. He looked at all the flashing colors, "Tricks and treats," he said.  
  
"Welcome to the world of attention deficit," Alec said, he went to continue when a news bulletin cut in.  
  
It showed a transgenic attacking the police and finally being killed. They watched it in silence and then Alec stood up and said that they needed to call Max. He got dressed when he heard the doorbell ring.  
  
"Annie," Joshua said.  
  
Alec looked at him in alarm. They sooo didn't need this now. "You have to send her away Joshua, send her away before she gets hurt too." Joshua looked at him sadly, clearing not wanting to even though he heard the sense in his friends words. What he didn't see was the anguish that Alec himself was feeling for having to make Josh do this.  
  
Joshua opened the door and talked to Annie, Alec stayed in the corridor leaning against the wall, wanting to give them space. He heard the door start to close and went to his friend when Annie yelled, "Joshua!"  
  
Alec saw her outstretched hand, he saw the tears that were forming in Joshua's eyes as he went and stood in the doorway. He saw her hand coming towards his face. He felt her fingertips brush over his eyelids, his mouth. He closed his eyes, reveling in the feelings that a single touch could evoke in him. He could practically feel the emotions coming off of the woman in front of him and for the first time in his life he wished that he was somebody else. He wished that he was Joshua. He wished that he was the half dog guy. All because he had something that Alec himself had lost long ago. To have this wonderful woman care for him as much as she cared for Joshua was something that he really wanted. He didn't want her to stop touching him, he hadn't felt like this since...since Rachel. When she finally turned away and left, he stood at the door for what seemed like forever. Just trying to keep the feeling of being touched in his mind. He turned to face Joshua, he saw the tears that were now falling down his cheeks and said, "I know that it's hard buddy. She's safe though, that's all that matters. Trust me, in a while the fact that she's safe is all that will matter to you. trust me."  
  
Joshua looked at him through blurry eyes, he saw the pain his friend was also in. He knew that Alec understood his pain almost as well as he did himself and he pulled Alec into a hug. They just stood there for a while, needing the reassurance that none of them could put into words. Then Joshua pulled away, keeping a hand on Alec's arm and dragged him towards the basement. "Play," he said. Alec looked at him and smiled sadly. This was something that they both needed. They just needed to know that they weren't alone.  
  
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Max stumbled through her doorway, almost blinded by her tears.  
  
"Boo, what's wrong?" OC asked in concern, walking over to pull her into a hug. Max just continued to sob into her shoulder so she pulled her onto the couch, never letting go of her grief stricken friend.  
  
"It's Logan," Max stuttered. "I.he." she couldn't get anymore out, she was crying so hard.  
  
"What did he do?" OC asked, her eyes narrowing. Max stopped crying enough to finally tell her what happened. OC stared at her in shock, she couldn't believe that Logan felt that way. She just continued to hold her friend as her sobs finally ceased and she fell into a fitful sleep on her shoulder. OC on the other hand didn't fall asleep, her mind still going over what Max had told her. She was so angry at Logan for getting Max even more upset than she already was, she wanted to go over there right now and put the smack down on that old man's ass. No wait, she thought, I don't wanna touch that ass, she shivered with disgust. Max woke up when she felt OC moving, she looked into her friends concerned eyes, gave her a tiny smile and said that she was gonna go for a ride on her baby.  
  
She left the apartment and drove straight to the space needle, she needed to sort things out. She sat near the edge just looking out at the city, not really seeing it but gazing at it just the same. Her mind drifted over to what happened earlier.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I saw him, over at your place earlier," Logan drawled, swaying as he stood.  
  
"Logan, you've had too much to drink," Max said, "I just came here to give you this," she handed over Joshua's necklace.  
  
"Ahh but you only came in because you thought that I was out," Logan said, watching her with narrowed eyes.  
  
Max stared at the ground, unable to meet his eyes. Logan continued, "Tell me it's not true, tell me you're not with that irresponsible idiot."  
  
"He's not an idiot, he might be irresponsible sometimes but he's not an idiot," Max snapped at him.  
  
"Oh, so now that you're with him he's totally changed Max, tell me how many times have I heard you call him that yourself huh?"  
  
"I was wrong about him," she whispered.  
  
"Ha," Logan snorted, "You're just like the other women, you can't see past his pretty face."  
  
Max looked at him, he was so drunk he didn't even know what he was saying.  
  
"You deserve better," he continued, "You shouldn't be hanging around with trash like him anyway."  
  
"He's not trash," she stated.  
  
"Yes, he is. He's just a murderer Max, a womanizing murderer."  
  
"Well then I guess I must be a murderer too then huh?" she flashed at him.  
  
"No Max. you're different to him, to them. You aren't like them at all. You don't belong with them, you belong with me," he looked at her beseechingly. Max looked him, unable to believe what he was saying.  
  
"Logan, I am just like them. I was made like them, I grew up like them!"  
  
"But you got away. You learned how to live again, they didn't. They don't understand you like I can."  
  
Max looked at him, her mind deep in thought. "No, Logan. You cant understand me like they can." She turned around and walked away.  
  
He watched her go but yelled out one last time. "You cant trust him Max, you know you cant. You'll have to spend the rest of your life looking after him. You can't trust him!"  
  
He was answered with the sound of the door slamming shut.  
  
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Max sat there, tears streaming down her face. Logan's last words going around her head - you can't trust him. She wished with all her heart that she did trust Alec but there was just something that was holding her back. She didn't know what it was. Maybe it was just that he seemed to screw up so much. She knew that he had made it up to her but she was still concerned about the way he handled things. She still loved Logan, she knew she did but then she had feeling these things for Alec as well. She just didn't understand. She knew that Alec would always be there for her, she knew it. She heard footsteps behind her and said, "I come here to be alone."  
  
"Yeah, I know but I thought that with everything that had gone down today, we might both be needing some company."  
  
Max glanced sideways at him. "OC rang you didn't she?" she sighed.  
  
He didn't reply, just sat next to her and put his arm around her shoulders. She felt safe with him, she didn't want that feeling to go away.  
  
He looked at her sitting there, so sad and alone. When OC rang and told him that she and Logan had a fight, he just thought what's new? They fight, they break up, and they get back together. He was disappointed though, when she said that she was gonna stay away from him, he had believed her. You are such a chump Alec, he thought to himself. Then he realized that OC was still talking, asking him to go after her and he agreed. He wanted to make sure that she was ok, that and that and the fact that he could still feel Annie's hand on his face. He needed the comfort and so did she.  
  
He put his arm around her and waiting for the bitching to begin but when she started leaning into him he realized that she was way more upset then he had thought she was. He just sat there, enjoying the feeling of her when she turned to him. Her eyes so dark and enticing, she licked her lips and he felt himself being drawn to them. He covered them briefly with own and when she didn't pull away, he deepened the kiss. All of a sudden he pulled away. "Logan," he said, his voice breaking. Damn that conscience he thought to himself.  
  
Max just shook her head and whispered, "I need you Alec." He looked at the tears forming in her eyes and took her back into his arms.  
  
"You need me Max, but I'm not the one that you WANT. You know Max, usually there would be no way in hell that I'd say no to you but you're upset, you don't know what you want. And I don't...I don't.."  
  
Max looked up at him, wondering what he was going to say.  
  
"I don't want to be some play thing you can just throw away once you and Logan are back together," he finished quietly, unable to look into her eyes.  
  
"I don't know what to do Alec," she whispered, clutching his jacket, afraid he was going to leave.  
  
"Then just leave it how it is now ok? Choose when you do know," he stared deep into her eyes, "That way I know that you've chosen me for me and not because you couldn't have him."  
  
She lay her head onto his shoulder and held her close. He wanted her so badly but he needed more from her, he wanted more from her. He wanted her heart.  
  
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Andy whistled while she walked into work. It had been a good night. She had got her units all organized, they had started their training again. I just wish that stupid lazy CO would turn up, she thought. She couldn't do anything with the other units, sure they all started training again when she said that when their CO turned up he would expect them to be in top shape but other than that, they just ignored her and Andy didn't like to be ignored.  
  
She breezed pass the boss, saying a cheery hello but stopped dead when she saw Max. Her hair was tied up. She had never seen her hair tied up before, she looked different. Different and yet familiar. She gasped as her mind began going through the nightmares she had been having for the past ten years. A little girl smiling and laughing, a little girl who looked just like miniature version of Max. She saw herself with the little Max playing around with..with..who. But the memory was gone as quickly as it came.  
  
Max looked at her in concern. "Hey Andy, you alright?" she asked.  
  
Andy started in surprise, "Oh yeah. I'm fine. I mean, why wouldn't I be?" she gave them a big smile and walked off to collect a package.  
  
Max stared after her concerned. "Well, her 'why wouldn't I be' sounds just like your 'I'm always alright' bullshit," she said to Alec. He just grinned and opened his locker. Max looked at Andy again, she turned as she was heading out the door and her eyes met Max's. The expression in them scared Max, but she didn't know why.  
  
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Andy sat on her bike just staring at the handlebars. She didn't know what was happening to her. She was so confused, she needed to talk to someone. Now. She pulled herself together and started for Terminal City, hoping to find the answers she needed among the toxic dump.  
  
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Please Review!! 


	7. Chap 7

I know its been a while and I'm sorry but I still cant get my computer to work properly, it only works when it wants to, just like the men I know. ( well, thanks for the reviews guys and I've decided about the pairing in the story, you're just going to have to wait to find out! I know, I'm evil : P ! ...........................  
  
Mole watched Andy ride in on her bike. He swaggered over to her, his cigar as usual dangling from his lips. "Well if it isn't our little princess coming over to greet her loyal subjects," he grinned at his friend. She just gave him a little smile and said that she had to see Derek about something and then walked away.  
  
"Woah, I've never seen her so down before," Dix said, walking up to Mole.  
  
Mole just grunted but his concerned eyes followed his friend as she walked away from them. He had never seen her without a smile or without that bounce in her walk, he turned to look at Dix and he looked just as apprehensive as Mole felt. What could have happened? Mole thought to himself.  
  
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"Derek!" Andy yelled, "Derek, where are you?!"  
  
She walked around the building, looking for her second. She saw her soldiers straightening up, watching her but they weren't the ones that she wanted answers from. "Derek!" she yelled again.  
  
"I'm right here, god woman calm down," her second appeared, jogging down the staircase. "What's the matter?" he asked, seeing her unusually pale face.  
  
"I don't know," she whispered, looking at him. He took her in his arms and led her into their office. It would be bad for their soldiers to see her fall apart like that. A leader had to be strong, for herself and for her comrades, they drew their strength from her too.  
  
She let herself be led into the room and when he closed the door behind them, let him fold his arms around her. She leant her head on his shoulder just letting the strong beat of his heart calm her down. She took a deep breath and asked a question that Derek thought he would never hear her ask.  
  
"Why was I transferred?"  
  
He looked down at her in shock, her eyes caught his and held them. Hers a blue-gray, his a strange blend of green and blue. They were all blue near his irises but then merged with a dark green. She had always loved his eyes. He was also staring at hers, he remembered the first day he had seen them, a girl marching into the barracks with Colonel Lydecker. Colonel had said that she was to be a part of their unit and that they were to work together. He knew that none of the others soldiers were happy about that, they knew about her past and they didn't want her. They all despised her, he had just been intrigued. He didn't know what it was about her but he was stuck on her. He remembered those eyes flashing around the room as soon as the Colonel had left, all the others had just ignored her and went on with whatever it was they were doing. She had been assigned the bunk next to his and she strode over there, stood next to the bed and just observed him cleaning his boots. She had looked around the room, searching for something that he was sure that not even she knew what she was looking for but obviously not finding it. She lay down in her bunk and stared at the ceiling. He hadn't said anything to her, he was sort of afraid of her, what she had done, was something that he had never even dreamed of doing and he didn't know how the handle the little girl in front of him. He managed to continue watching her over the next few days, if she noticed she didn't say anything but one day as they were sparring, she had given him a little grin and then beat his ass into the ground. He had been surprised, not only at the fact that she had beaten him but also at the smile. When he woke up the next morning he looked over at her, she was already awake, she leant over and whispered quietly so that no one could hear, "You better watch yourself, or I might just have to kick your ass again." Her eyes twinkled at him and that had been the start of their friendship.  
  
He remembered those happy eyes and compared them to the eyes that he was looking at now. They weren't happy, they were covered in a veil of sadness and despair, she usually hid it well but he had known her for too long for her to be able to lie to him anymore, he knew that that sad little girl was in there somewhere, still looking for something that she could never find.  
  
"Why do you ask me that now? After all this time," he said.  
  
"My dreams..they're getting worse..and I keep seeing these images of people that I don't know. Except.there was this one girl, she's at my work and she looks just like a grown up version of one of the girls in my dreams. I don't know what it means Derek, and you know. Another thing that I figured out? I can't remember anything that happened to me before I was transferred into your unit." She sat down on the couch, she didn't know what was happening to her, these visions were swarming inside her head and she didn't know what to do to get rid of them.  
  
Derek sat down next to her, contemplating what to say. She looked so little again and when he sat down she had turned and buried her head into his chest. He held her there, not saying anything, just giving her the comfort that she so desperately needed. He didn't know what to say to her, he knew why she was transferred, he knew why she couldn't remember anything but he didn't want to tell her. He didn't want her more upset than she already was. She was like a little sister to him and he hated seeing her unhappy. She just sat there, feeling herself calm down. Derek always had that effect on her, he was just so calm and steady himself. She could trust him and she knew that she could always count on him. She knew that he knew something but was unwilling to say anything, she could tell by the way his eyes would drop from hers quickly every time she looked at him. She knew that she couldn't push him to tell her anything or he might get mad. He had only ever gotten angry at her once. And once was enough, she was a genetic super soldier but she was still afraid of her big brother, especially one as terrifying as Derek was when he was mad. She smiled softly.  
  
He saw her smile and asked, "What are you laughing about now?"  
  
She grinned up at him and said, "Do you remember that time you yelled at me?"  
  
He smiled wryly at her, "Yeah, cos you kept getting into trouble."  
  
"I wasn't in trouble THAT much," she pouted.  
  
He laughed at her, "You were ALWAYS in trouble, I don't know how you managed to get away with it sometimes but you gotta admit. You were sent to Psy-ops and Re-indoc more than any soldier in our compound."  
  
"Well then doesn't that make me special?" she asked impishly.  
  
"Special my ass. It just means that you're trouble," he snorted.  
  
She narrowed her eyes, then jumped onto his lap and started tickling him. She had him for about a minute before he pulled her off him and then started tickling her. She screamed with laughter, begging him to let her go but he wouldn't let up. The door opened and a head popped inside.  
  
She looked up at the soldier and wiped the tears from her eyes. "What it is Jay?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing ma'am, just wondering what the noise was, you know, since you told us that we had lay low and be quiet you know?" he grinned at her, happy to see her her usual cheery self again.  
  
"Oh don't you start with me soldier," she mock glared at him but her lips were turning up at the corners. "And how many times have I told you, don't call me ma'am."  
  
"Yes ma'am," he saluted at then closed the door rapidly as a pillow hit it. She could hear him laughing all the way down the hall.  
  
"So what d'ya want to do tonight?" Derek asked.  
  
"Let's introduce our little soldier friends to a place called Crash," she grinned.  
  
.................................  
  
Alec looked up from his glass of scotch to the table at the back where Max and Cindy were sitting. He sighed, he could guess what they were talking about. Half of him was happy, he had a chance with Max. The other half was just too caught up in the memories that Max and Logan had shared together. Logan, he sighed. It always boils down to Logan. He really didn't know whether she would choose him over Logan, a part of him doubted it but another part hoped for it. He hoped and wished harder than he ever had in his life. He really wanted to be with her, he would do anything for her. He just didn't want to a substitute, he never was the kind of guy that could play second fiddle to anybody else, he grinned to himself. He never had been second to anyone else, well except to Max. He looked around the room and saw that Andy had just entered with a group of people. Oh wow, she made some friends, he thought to himself humorlessly. He had always felt a connection to Andy, like she knew what it was like to be him. He had a feeling that they were alike, they both hid behind their happy masks, he had seen hers this morning but she looked alright now as she talked to her friends. They got a table and she made her way to the bar, as she caught sight of him staring she smirked and made her way over.  
  
"Well what's a pretty boy like you doing all alone here?" she drawled, her eyes dancing with laughter.  
  
Alec grinned at her and replied, "Waiting for a pretty girl like you to buy me a drink."  
  
She laughed at him and said, "No way man, I got enough people to buy drinks for." Nodding her head at the table behind them, she grabbed the beer the bar tender put on the counter and said, "Come over and meet them."  
  
He followed her to the table and looked at the people sitting there. They were a lot better looking than the people you usually saw at Crash. She started to introduce them to him. "This is Derek, he's my bestest buddy," Alec shook hands with the guy she pointed to, Man this guy's got nice eyes, Alec thought to himself and then he almost slapped himself. What they hell are you doing admiring another guys eyes. He almost groaned out loud, you're spending way too much time with Normal, he reprimanded himself. He tried to focus as she introduced the others, "This is Star," a girl with almost white blond hair and the darkest blue eyes that Alec had ever seen. Stop looking at people's eyes, he said to himself, and gave the girl a smile. "This is Nat," who had to be one of the most muscular guys he had ever seen. Man, that guy must weigh like almost 300 pounds, he thought to himself. He shook the guy's hand and then turned to the last person at the table. A guy, probably about Alec's height but he was African-American and when he smiled, he had the sharpest teeth that Alec had ever seen. He smiled back at the guy, Cary, Andy had said his name was but he couldn't get over the guys teeth.  
  
Cary caught him staring and laughed, Alec looked up, embarrassed but Cary just said, "Hey don't worry bout it man, I get it all the time."  
  
Alec grinned at the good-natured guy and took a seat next to Andy.  
  
"So, how's my little sister doing at her new job?" Derek asked him, smiling at Andy.  
  
"I'm not little," she said indignantly.  
  
Derek just nodded mockingly and laughed out loud when she poked her tongue out at him. Alec laughed with him but stopped when Andy glared at him. The other people laughed when they saw the look Andy gave him.  
  
"So you afraid of the little thing too huh?" Derek smirked.  
  
Alec was about to reply when Star cut in, "Well just join the club buddy, we all been scared of her, ever since we met her huh guys?"  
  
Andy just smirked and said, "Well could I help it if I was better than you?"  
  
"No way, you did NOT just say you were better than me!" Cary exclaimed.  
  
"Well SOMEONE'S a bit egotistic aren't they?" Nat asked at the same time.  
  
Andy just grinned as the table of people laughed, Alec included. He had never really felt at ease with ordinaries but these guys were cool.  
  
"This is a really cook place," Star said, looking around Crash.  
  
"Yeah, I like it cos everyone's so laid back here. No rules, no nothing. It's great!" Andy said.  
  
"Like you followed the rules anyway," Derek said.  
  
"Hey I followed them," Andy replied.  
  
"Oh really and was that when you felt like it or when it suited you?" he asked, his eyes dancing with laughter.  
  
"Both," she replied airily and the table dissolved into laughter again.  
  
Alec grinned at his new friend's conversation but he felt his eyes wandering back to that table in the back. Max was just sitting there staring at him and he gave her a small smile. He saw OC leave and Max beckon him over so he excused himself from the table, took a deep breath and walked over there. He wondered if she had decided yet, he thought that she had and he was scared. She held his heart and dreams in her hands and she could either accept them or throw them away. He didn't know which it was but he hoped that it was the former. He reached her table and sat down, "Hey Max," he smirked at her.  
  
She looked at him, "We need to talk."  
  
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